Philadelphia radio station WURD parted ways with its host after he interviewed President Biden on Wednesday using questions provided by the Biden campaign, claiming the interview violated its journalistic independence.
“Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions puts listeners’ trust at risk,” WURD said in a statement Sunday. Host Andrea Lawfull-Sanders has resigned by mutual consent, according to WURD.
Sanders posed a simple question to Biden in his first interview with a reporter since his uneasy performance at the debate last week. Many viewers tuned in to the show, which has a large black following, to hear how Biden would respond to questions about the debate, but found the interview did not adequately address their concerns.
The network said the interview and questions were arranged independently by Lawful Sanders for his show, “The Source.” Lawful Sanders did not respond to requests for comment.
She told CNN on Saturday that she received prepared questions from the White House ahead of the interview.
“The questions were sent to me for approval,” she said. “I approved them.” The Biden campaign later clarified that they, not the White House, had sent the questions.
While it is not uncommon for political communications staffers to provide a list of suggested topics for media appearances, Lawful Sanders’ use of specific pre-screened questions has drawn criticism.
Earl Ingram, host of “The Earl Ingram Show” on WAUK in Waukesha, Wisconsin, also interviewed the president last week and told The Associated Press he was given a list of prepared questions. The questions and answers in the two interviews were strikingly similar.
The Biden campaign said it would not suggest questions for future interviews.
